Having rediscovered the familiar feeling of how they used to get along, Lin Yuan carefully sized Zi Yan up and found that the little girl's cultivation had improved significantly compared to when they last parted. At present, her strength had already reached the level of a high-tier Fifth-Grade magical beast. Converted into human cultivation terms, that was roughly equivalent to a Seven-Star Dou King.
"Zi Yan, judging by your aura, your strength has really improved a lot!"
Zi Yan puffed out her small chest proudly and said with smug satisfaction, "Hmph~! I didn't waste this past year at all. I trained especially hard. Old man Su Qian even gave me lots of medicinal ingredients, so that's why I've become this strong."
However, when her gaze fell on Lin Yuan, she seemed to lose some of her enthusiasm and lowered her head slightly, muttering in a low voice, "But my growth speed is still slower than yours. You guy… even your physical body is almost catching up to mine. I'm the magical beast here, you know."
When Zi Yan had punched Lin Yuan earlier, she had clearly felt that the strength of his physical body was already close to that of a Sixth-Grade magical beast, virtually on par with her own.
Seeing the slightly dejected look on Zi Yan's face, Lin Yuan gently stroked her hair, which was still just as smooth as before. He chuckled softly and said, "I encountered a few fortuitous opportunities while traveling outside, so my cultivation progressed a bit faster."
"I see. Then next time you go out, you must take me with you."
After that, Zi Yan lifted her head and looked at Lin Yuan with pitiful eyes, hinting meaningfully, "Sigh… if I had enough food to eat, I'd definitely be even stronger than I am now."
'So she's starting again,' Lin Yuan thought the moment he heard that. Instantly understanding Zi Yan's intention, he found it amusing but didn't expose her. Instead, he looked at her with interest, curious to see what she would say next.
Sure enough, a trace of cunning flashed through Zi Yan's eyes as she sighed and said, "Brother Lin Yuan, the pills and food you left me before you went away were far too little. They were gone in no time at all. After you left, I very quickly ended up living a life where I 'couldn't eat my fill or keep myself warm.'"
Lin Yuan laughed and scolded her, "Stop! You little rascal. Didn't I leave you enough for half a year? And besides, where did you learn that phrase 'can't eat my fill or keep myself warm'? If the First Elder heard you say that, he'd definitely scold you harshly."
Zi Yan blinked her big eyes and continued, "I don't know either. Anyway, it just ran out really fast. And I followed your instructions and cultivated diligently. Cultivating consumes a lot too, you know. Look, aren't I thinner than before?"
As she spoke, she deliberately rubbed her small face, putting on a pitiful expression.
Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh inwardly at the sight. This little girl was really becoming better and better at acting. Her round little face showed not the slightest sign of being thinner.
"Still, even after consuming so many medicinal ingredients, Zi Yan's advancement speed isn't considered fast. It seems the energy she needs to advance is truly enormous. As expected of the Ancient Void Dragon royal bloodline, truly extraordinary," Lin Yuan thought to himself.
At the same time, he felt fortunate that he had completely emptied the medicinal storage of the Mulan Valley earlier. Otherwise, raising this little glutton and supporting her all the way to the Dou Emperor or even Dou Ancestor level would truly not be an easy task.
Thinking of this, Lin Yuan chuckled softly and said, "Alright, little glutton, stop acting. I already prepared your gift long ago. Here." As he spoke, he took out a storage ring and tossed it to Zi Yan.
Zi Yan excitedly caught the ring and probed it with her senses, discovering that it was filled with pills and rare medicinal ingredients, each one emitting an enticing fragrance.
Unable to wait any longer, she took out a bottle of pills and poured out a few. The pills seemed to contain enormous amounts of energy. She gently placed them into her mouth, and instantly, a rich fragrance spread throughout her mouth, so delicious that it was intoxicating. Zi Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as she carefully chewed the pills, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.
"I haven't had something this tasty in such a long time. And these seem even better than the ones from before."
Soon after, Zi Yan's gaze casually landed on Qing Lin, who was standing to the side. Qing Lin stood there quietly, smiling gently as she watched Zi Yan and Lin Yuan. Zi Yan blinked her eyes, then suddenly teased, "Brother Lin Yuan, who is this beautiful big sister? Is she my sister-in-law?"
Caught off guard by Zi Yan's sudden question, Qing Lin was momentarily flustered. A flush instantly spread across her cheeks, like a ripe apple. She hurriedly waved her hands and explained, "N-no, I'm not… I'm Qing Lin, Young Master's maid, not—"
Before she could finish, Zi Yan interrupted her with a mischievous grin. "Aiya, sister-in-law is shy!" she said, even winking at Qing Lin with an expression that clearly said I understand.
Qing Lin became even more embarrassed by Zi Yan's words. She lowered her head, not daring to look at her again. Yet, a sense of joy quietly bloomed in her heart. She had long heard Lin Yuan mention this little sister, Zi Yan, and knew how dearly Lin Yuan cared for her. Because of that, Qing Lin had always looked forward to meeting her. Now that she saw how adorable and lively Zi Yan was—and even being called sister-in-law, Qing Lin's impression of Zi Yan grew even more favorable.
Watching the interaction between Zi Yan and Qing Lin, Lin Yuan couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. He stepped forward and gently patted Zi Yan on the head, saying softly, "You little rascal, stop fooling around. Qing'er is my companion. You'll be spending a lot of time with her in the future, so you should get along well. You can call her Sister Qing'er or Sister Qing Lin."
Then he turned to Qing Lin and said with a light smile, "Qing'er, this is the little sister I mentioned to you before, Zi Yan. You can just call her Zi Yan."
Hearing this, Zi Yan put away her mischievous smile, swallowed the pill she was chewing, and looked seriously at Qing Lin. "Hello, Sister Qing Lin. My name is Zi Yan. I'm Brother Lin Yuan's little sister."
A warmth filled Qing Lin's heart at Zi Yan's words. She lifted her head, met Zi Yan's bright eyes, and smiled gently. "Hello, Zi Yan. I'm Qing Lin, Young Master's little maid."
The three of them chatted and laughed as they headed toward the inner courtyard. Zi Yan held Qing Lin's hand, endlessly asking questions about her experiences with Lin Yuan, while Qing Lin patiently answered each one, a gentle smile never leaving her face.
Lin Yuan watched the two of them interact so harmoniously and felt deeply gratified. He knew that as a magical beast in human form, Zi Yan's mind was simple, and she had very few friends in the inner courtyard. Qing Lin, likewise, didn't have many friends. If the two of them could become friends, it would be a sight he was happy to see.
The three of them soon arrived at Elder Su Qian's residence. When Su Qian saw Lin Yuan, a glint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes. He had already heard from Elder Huo about Lin Yuan taming the Heavenly Flame and was very pleased with this young student's growth.
"Lin Yuan, you've returned. I heard from Elder Huo that you've tamed the Heavenly Flame and even become a sixth-grade High-Tier Alchemist. Truly impressive for someone so young!" Elder Su Qian said with a smile.
Lin Yuan humbly shook his head. "It was just luck, Elder."
Elder Su Qian nodded, then looked toward Qing Lin and Zi Yan. His gaze lingered on Qing Lin with a hint of expectation, the owner of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils would undoubtedly become a pillar of the academy in the future.
When his eyes fell on Zi Yan, however, his gaze softened with indulgence, mixed with a touch of helplessness. "Zi Yan, did you sneak into the medicinal storage again yesterday? Elder Hao just reported it to me. I've already handled it, but you can't do that anymore."
Hearing this, Zi Yan huffed angrily. "Hmph! That stingy old man, he nags endlessly just because I ate a little of his medicinal herbs. I'll make sure to find a chance to beat him up later!"
Elder Su Qian shook his head helplessly and said nothing further. He knew that Zi Yan was gluttonous but fundamentally good-hearted; her talk of hitting someone was purely verbal.
Then Elder Su Qian's gaze turned to Lin Yuan. His eyes grew sharp as he noted that Lin Yuan was not far from breaking through to the Dou Emperor level. He said with satisfaction, "Lin Yuan, judging by your aura, it seems you're not far from breaking through to Dou Emperor either."
Lin Yuan nodded respectfully. "Elder, I've returned this time to focus on breaking through to Dou Emperor in peace within the academy. The time required for a breakthrough is long, and only here can I cultivate and advance without distractions."
Hearing this, Elder Su Qian's eyes showed a flicker of admiration. He was pleased that Lin Yuan trusted the academy as if it were his own home. He nodded and said, "Good! You can advance here without worries. The academy will fully support you."
After a pause, Elder Su Qian continued, "Since you possess an Heavenly Flame, there may be some matters in the future where the academy will need your assistance. I hope you won't refuse when the time comes."
Lin Yuan had already guessed the general reason, it was likely related to the Fallen Heart Flame within the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Without hesitation, he agreed, "The academy's matters are my matters."
Elder Su Qian nodded with satisfaction.
After discussing a few other matters, Lin Yuan took his leave. He returned to his small courtyard, accompanied by Qing Lin and Zi Yan.
"Then, to celebrate our reunion and meeting, I'll cook today," Lin Yuan said with a smile.
"Yay! I've been waiting for this for so long!"
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